Track-harness



(No Model.)

' J. L. WHIPPLB.

TRACK HARNESS. No. 530,871. Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

TIT 2 251888% NlTE ATENT TRACK-HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,871, dated December 1 1, 1894.

Application filed September 17, 1894. Serial No. 523 ,261. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES L. WHIPPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brattleborongh, in the county of Windham and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Harness; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such 'as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of-this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in harnesses, and especially to a track harness, which shall be light in weight, simple in construction, and one which may be quickly adjusted to a horse and hitched to a vehicle, an object of the present invention being to produce a harness of this character which is made of a continuous strap running from the forward and free end of a thill shaft, to the rear end and se cured to any part of the axle or the frame of the sulky, and bythis arrangement, if a horse, is inclined to go sidewise, by simply drawing this strap or trace in on the cross bar or axle, it serves the same purpose as a bar, or other appliance thus preventing the horse from traveling any way but straight ahead.

A further object of my invention is to provide a continuous trace as described, which shall be supported by a saddle strap slipping over terrets of any saddle, and if necessary the addition of a hip strap attached at both ends 'to shafts.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists further in the novel construction, and adaptation of the parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which with theletters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1, is a perspective View of my har- .ness as applied to a horse and sulky; Fig. 2,

an enlarged perspective of the continuous trace. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the trace as secured to the thill tips and vehicle axle.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A, represents an ordinary saddle of a harness, and B a continuous trace, whichis provided with a pocket or ferrule 0 adapted to fit over the end of a thill,

there being similar traces on each side to each thill These traces are supported by a saddle strap D, and pass through the loops 0, and the rear ends of the said traces are adapted to be fastened at any part of the axle, or frame work of the sulky, so that they may be separately drawn in or out, as shown in dotted lines, so as to guide the horse in a straight forward course.

If necessal'yasecond strap passing over the hips of the horse, and having its ends fastened to the thills on each side, and provided with loops through which the traces may pass, can be provided as shown at E.

It will be readily seen that by constructing a track harness of this nature, the horse when fitted with the same and attached to a'sulky, will be prevented from hobbling, hopping behind, kicking or going sidewise, and from breast or girth chafing, and the speed of the horse will be materially increased.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is o A track harness having in combination with the continuous sliding straps B, secured at their forward ends to caps, designed to fit over the ends of the thills of a sulky, their rear ends secured to the axle thereof, a hip strap designed to pass over the back of the horse and having its ends secured to the shafts on either side, and provided with loops through which the said straps B are passed and supported therein for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L. WI-IIPPLE.

, Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. BROWN, GEO. E. RIQHARDS. 

